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Wanted: A New ‘Body Man’ for Obama

By Jodi Kantor November 10, 2011 2:14 pmNovember 10, 2011 2:14 pm

There is no one at the White House remotely like Reggie Love: President Obama’s personal aide, meaning his shadow and assistant for all moment-to-moment needs, but also his basketball buddy, confidant, mentee and, by Mr. Obama’s own description, “little brother.”

Susan Walsh/Associated PressPresident Obama and Reggie Love last month in North Carolina.

For months, Mr. Love has been attending a part-time master’s in business administration program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and dividing his time between his studies and work duties just became too much, said several people who spoke with him about it. His schedule was so packed that “when he would describe it to you, you’d want to go to sleep,” said Arun Chaudhary, until recently the White House videographer.

Mr. Love, 30, is a former Duke basketball player who came to work in the mailroom of Mr. Obama’s Senate office. He taught Mr. Obama the much-maligned “terrorist fist jab,” and traveled with him throughout the presidential campaign, when they grew so close Mr. Obama would floss his teeth in front of his aide.

“There are times where he will take a pillow into the hall and sleep while he’s waiting for me,” Mr. Obama said several years ago in an interview with ABC. Mr. Love followed him to the White House, where he has been a constant, silent presence by the president’s side, tasked with aiding him at all events outside the White House.

Mr. Love even has his allegiance to Mr. Obama tattooed on his body: “My Word, My Bond, My Boyz, My Blood,” the message on his arm reads.

President Obama drew criticism on Thursday when he said, “we don’t have a strategy yet,” for military action against ISIS in Syria. Lawmakers will weigh in on Mr. Obama’s comments on the Sunday shows.Read more…